Who We Are

We sold our home in June, 2007, and spent the next 7 1/2 years traveling full time in a Cross Roads Fifth Wheel. (We had been traveling during our summers for several years before going full time.) We loved the full-time lifestyle! Each summer we spent a month or two volunteering in State Parks, first in Indiana at McCormick's Creek State Park, near our family, then in later years as the grandchildren got older, at the Bluewater Lake State Park in New Mexico. We spent 6 months each winter at Cactus Gardens RV Resort in Yuma, AZ, where I worked mornings in the park office. The remaining months were spent on the road, seeing this great country of ours. Our favorite places are our National Parks. Anita loved photography and the freedom of digital photography, taking sometimes hundreds of photos in a day. We hiked as much as our legs will allow. We also really enjoyed square and round dancing as we travel across country, and meeting all the wonderful people who dance and/or travel.

But as in all things, there comes a time for change, and we decided it was time to create roots once more. In the fall of 2014, we purchased a home in Cactus Gardens, and in the spring of 2015, sold the 5th wheel. Anita also retired in the spring. We will continue to travel each summer, but for a shorter period of time. We hope to continue blogging about those trips, but it will obviously be on a more limited basis than in the past.

Please explore our past posts if you are interested in traveling this great country. You'll find an index in the left column. We hope you enjoy our blog, and appreciate all comments

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Thursday, June 12, 2008

We arrived at McCormick's Creek on May 22, just in time for Memorial Weekend and a full campground.

Life here at McCormick's is usually quiet and peaceful, but this past week has been quite different.

Last Wednesday, another storm, in what seems like an endless line, hit the park, with rain and straight line winds. Two large trees fell across major roads in the park, and numerous other trees and branches came down.

Clean up was not completed from that storm when another hit on Friday evening. In the course of less than 12 hours, 9-11 inches of rain fell throughout central Indiana, causing major flash flooding. The destruction has been tremendous throughout the area.The park itself is named for McCormick's Creek, which runs through it. Normally a small stream, families enjoy the "water playground" formed at the falls.Usually it looks like this on a typical summer day, with people on the banks, in the water, and even climbing down the falls.The creek is usually shallow enough to cross by stepping on the stones. This photo was taken just a week before the storm:We took the next photo on Thursday morning after Wednesday's storm. Note the large dead tree wedged in the falls on the upper left side:Saturday, the falls were even higher, and you'll see even the tree has washed away:

This is the area normally crossed by stepping on the rocks.

We had park roads closed...and a few sites flooded...But the flooding in the park was insignificant to the losses by families all across the area. Many are without power or water, and hundreds have lost everything. For a slide show of photos taken throughout the area by a local news team click here . Thanks to all of you who called to check on our safety, and please keep the flood victims in your prayers.